Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yoga. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Living Positively + Living Well Campaign


LIVING POSITIVELY + LIVING WELL
A movement to use love and happiness against HIV.

Begin your own advocacy to live with a positive outlook, and share that positivism to the world. Add your voice to the growing number of advocates rallying for positivism and against HIV.

To be a part of the Living Positively + Living Well Open Photoshoot:
  1. Share your stories, thoughts, or philosophies on how you live positively;
  2. Join our two-part open photoshoot; and
  3. Be featured in our photo exhibition.

When: October 22 and 29 (10AM-6PM)

Where: Pioneer Studios, 123 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City
For the location map and directions to the venue, visit www.pioneerstudios.ph. The parking space in front of Pioneer Studios is limited and a tow-away zone.  Pay parking is available at Pioneer Citiland Parking near the studio at the corner of Pioneer Street and Reliance Street (see location map).  Rates are PhP30.00 for first 3 hours and PhP10.00 succeeding hours.

Registration Fee: PhP1,000.00

Proceeds to the event will be used for further skills training of YFL members as we expand our program to reach more people affected by HIV.

Specially-trained peer counselors from The Love Yourself Project (TLYP) will offer free counseling during the event.


How to Participate:
  1. Pre-register to confirm your participation (see registration form below)
    1. Answer the question “How do you live positively?”
    2. Select a schedule for your photoshoot. Make sure to indicate the following details:
      1. Shirt size;
      2. Preferred date; and
      3. Preferred time.
  2. Come to the scheduled photoshoot date and time
    1. Get professionally-shot portraits by photographer Noel Abelardo; and
    2. A special Yoga for Life “Living Positively + Living Well” t-shirt.
  3. Watch out for the Photo Exhibition in December 2011


FAQs

What should I wear?
You will be provided a Yoga for Life t-shirt to wear during the photoshoot. Please wear bottoms that will allow you to comfortably sit in a cross-legged position on the floor, e.g. pants.

Will the basic grooming or make-up service include hair styling?
We will have make-up artists on site to do basic touch-ups and grooming. We prefer the participants to look naturally beautiful; there is no need to look extremely glamorous.

Why do I have to pre-register and pay a 50% downpayment?
We don’t want you to wait long to have your photo taken. So by pre-registering and making a downpayment, we can reserve a timeslot that is most convenient for you.  We will also be able to reserve a t-shirt that best fits your size.  This process will allow us to work more efficiently and give you the attention and service you deserve.  You can pay the 50% balance at the venue.  We can issue official receipts upon request.

Can I still go if I did not pre-register or pay the 50% downpayment?
Yes, but you may have to wait for the next available timeslot.  Pre-registered individuals will be given priority.  Best to give us a call before you come so we can advice you.  Call Charmaine at 09175404247.  You can pay the P1,000 donation at the venue.

Can I bring a friend who wants to go for the same photoshoot but had not pre-registered on the website?
Yes, but same rule applies as in the previous question.

How long will the photoshoot take?
Allot 1.5 to 2 hours for the whole process, which will include registration, 10-minute peer education, make-up/grooming, and actual photoshoot.

Is the HIV peer education required?
The 10-minute HIV peer education session is optional, but highly recommended.  You will be in the good hands of certified peer educators from The Love Yourself Project, our partner for the campaign.  It will be a productive way to fill in the waiting time.


REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

By filling out the registration form, I am committing to participate in this photoshoot in support of Yoga for Life’s Living Positively + Living Well Campaign.  I understand that the donation of P1,000.00 will be collected from every participant to pay for a package that includes: (1) a Yoga for Life t-shirt, (2) basic grooming or make-up services, (3) a free HIV peer education session, and (4) two post-processed digital photos - 1 headshot layout and 1 lotus yoga pose layout.

Please make a 50% downpayment or full payment to reserve a timeslot.  Fill in and submit  the registration form on or before 21 October 2011. We will contact you through email or mobile phone to confirm your reserved timeslot.

Payment Instructions

You have three options for paying:
  1. Make a 50% downpayment of PhP500.00 by depositing it to our bank account and pay the 50% balance during the actual photoshoot;
  2. Make a full payment of PhP1,000.00 by depositing it to our bank account; or
  3. Paying either amount directly to Charmaine Cu-Unjieng or Paulo Leonido (co-founders) during a regular yoga class on or before 19 October 2011.  Official receipts will be given. Please settle any balance during the actual photoshoot. Schedule of classes can be found at www.yogaforlife.ph

For bank deposits, our bank details are as follows:

Bank name: China Banking Corp. (Chinabank Greenhills Branch)
Account name: Yoga for Life Foundation, Inc.
Account number: 105-375041-6

* Please show your bank deposit slip or Yoga for Life official receipt when you register during the actual photoshoot.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Yoga for Life: TOUCHING LIVES

On Sunday, 15 May 2011, the Yoga for Life community will come together to join the world in commemorating the 28th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial at the Glorietta 3 Park in Ayala Center, Makati. Entitled Yoga for Life: Touching Lives, it will be an afternoon that will gather yoga enthusiasts and HIV advocates alike in a candlelit sunset ceremony honoring the lives of people affected by HIV and AIDS.


The Yoga for Life community will take the traditional candle lighting ceremony further by making an impact in the way that it knows best - through yoga. Co-founders Charmaine Cu-Unjieng and Paulo Leonido will be joined by the country’s top yoga instructors in leading the community through yoga poses, breathing techniques and guided meditation, to demonstrate how the discipline and community of yoga help those affected by HIV. More importantly, the event aims to unite the community’s energies towards igniting the flames of HIV awareness in the general public.

The event will begin with registration at 3:30 pm, and will be supported by yoga instructors Roland dela Cruz, Jeannie Javelosa, Tesa Celdran, Marilen Elizalde, Marc Carlos, Lex Bonife and Rebecca de Villa, HIV advocates from different sectors and friends of the Yoga for Life community. Proceeds from the event will support the services that Yoga for Life provides to the HIV community, which include yoga classes, meditation sessions, and HIV and life-skills counseling.

This is the 28th year since the International Candlelight Memorial was first held, making it the longest running community event around HIV and AIDS. It will also be the first time that the Yoga for Life community is joining the tens of thousands of people from 75 different countries in touching the lives of those affected by HIV. While the Candlelight Memorial was originally held to commemorate the lives lost to HIV, Yoga for Life chooses to empower the lives of those who continue to triumph in spite of the virus, and celebrate the HIV advocate in everyone.

Yoga for Life began in June 2010, and is the Philippines’ first community-based yoga program for persons living with HIV, as well as others who support them and the cause and want to experience the beauty of yoga. To date, the community has grown to over 300, as Yoga for Life continues to reach more people and build a community of advocates who, through yoga, share their energies towards living positively and living well.

So come and join us as we touch lives through yoga!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

21 NO MORE!

I am now officially 22, and I have HIV!

Nothing special, the whole family is busy with campaigning so prior to that I planned to attend Yoga for Life at makati with my BF and BFF, it's our first time to attend YFL at makati, the place was different, the crowd was different although i see familiar faces who also attend the Wednesday group. Since it's my birthday I was the center of attention, the yogi's are very vocal about it. I was shy, I really don't like to be the center of attention, I was blushing, then the practice begun, they have this thing where you will do numbers of "sun salutations" corresponding to the celebrants age, it was very nice although it was very tiring, I can see others getting tired already, i felt a bit guilty but as a treat I baked brownies for them to eat afterward. Overall I was happy! Even though others are complete strangers and some who I already knew, they made my day special, especially Mr. Yogi who is always gives me a warm hug, lucky.trese was also there, finally after exchanging text messages and chatting on ym I finally got the chance to met him (sorry I was shy, never got the chance to really bond with you). Yoga was awsome!

After yoga, myself, bf, and bff went to MOM&TINA'S to have our early dinner, the food was great, we got the chance to bond again, the three of us are really close. While eating, BF received a text message from a friend asking if he had tested for HIV, because his friend told him that him that his partner(me) is POZ, I know this person has no bad intentions, he was just concerned with his friend(my bf) so I didn't really mind that because it's my birthday and I don't want to ruin it. The next day I asked some people who knew my status, if they told anybody about it...

To be continued...

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Breathing and Stretching


I've never been so relaxed since I was diagnosed of HIV. Last week I got a message on my FB asking me to join YOGA FOR LIFE, since I was busy I wasn't able to join that week. Today I decided to give it a try, I brought along my BF and my BFF. We arrived at the building at 6:58 as we are waiting for the elevator a friend whom I met at PGH came, he was a regular so didn't we didn't had problem locating the place. I was nervous at first, I'm not really the sociable type, I'm too shy to start conversations, going to a room with people I don't know was scary, good thing I have my BF and BFF with me. We were just standing there when the yoga instructor welcomed us with a handshake, he was very warm, after introducing ourselves he ask us to get some mats and find our place. We just sat there as they explaining the concept of YOGA FOR LIFE, I'm happy that there is a community who helps POZZIES like me. It's the advance monthsary celebration they've been doing YFL for 4months now. We had a small game before we start to do our thing, it was fun, the game is a relay but not in a children party way, we used condoms for the activity its called "LICK" condoms with real flavors, it taste good! The game goes like this, we form a group of two, the first person blows the condom like a balloon then on the end you popped the balloon, you get another condom and put it in the banana fastest group wins and our group won, our price? the banana! They gave away free condoms too. My BF got a lot. hahaha! 

And so the activity starts, first with the proper breathing exercise, followed by some poses and then comes the stretching, I admit I'm not very flexible, I can't even reach my ankles so I really need a lot of help from the yogi's, as the activity goes on I realized that I've been sweating A LOT!!! I had to removed my eyeglasses to be more focused. It felt nice, very nice! I can feel the stress being breathe out of my body, I can feel that I'm getting more and more relaxed, I felt every pain as I stretched my worries away. Every drop of sweat from my body was worth it. Every air I inhaled to my body symbolizes a new hope. At the end of the session I received a HUG from Mr. yogi, I wonder does he know about my status? I'm happy I joined yoga for life. I really need this, I felt like a new person, a happier version of me. I am looking forward to doing more yoga.  We really had fun!

I DECLARE THAT WEDNESDAY IS YOGA DAY! :)

namaste!